!
Rachel and Tina hadn't hesitated when the woman told them to get in and unlocked her car doors for them. Rachel tumbled into the backseat, Tina close behind her. The woman was on the phone with 911, reporting the situation. When she asked their names, and Rachel told her, the woman had gasped.
"People have been looking for you," she told them. "There's an Amber Alert out and your pictures have been all over the news."
Rachel slumped against Tina tiredly, cradling her shoulder. "See, I told you people were looking."
Tina smiled softly. "Yes, you did."
The woman said she was taking them to the nearest hospital, in downtown Dayton, and then offered them a half-drank bottle of water and a bag of carrot sticks from her lunch sack. The girls devoured the carrots quickly and took turns sipping from the bottle.
"It's so good to eat again," Tina grinned.
"I just want to take a shower and see my dads and get into some nice warm pajamas," Rachel said, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes. "Some Tylenol wouldn't be bad, either."
"You're bleeding again," Tina commented.
"I think it started when we were trying to get the knife," Rachel told her. "He grabbed my shoulder and I think that's when it started. I'm sorry if I bleed all over your car," she told the woman politely.
The woman laughed lightly. "Don't you worry about it," she said. "I imagine your parents will be pretty glad to see you both again. You've been missing for a few days, right?"
Tina nodded. "We were taken Tuesday night."
The woman whistled softly. "That's horrible. So many people are going to be glad to see you girls."
The ride to the hospital seemed very fast and there were nurses and doctors waiting outside the emergency entrance for them. They were made to sit in wheelchairs and Rachel winced, hissing slightly in pain when a doctor prodded her shoulder. He didn't even apologize, just instructed the nurses to wheel her to an exam room. She was separated from Tina then, and she fought the urge to call out for the Asian girl. It's ok to separate now, she told herself. We're safe now.
A nurse inspected the bruising on her face and another doctor, a nicer one, probed her shoulder wound gently. "We're going to take you up to surgery right away," the doctor told her. "It doesn't look like there's any muscle damage but we're going to take a look before we stitch you up."
The nurse wiped something off her face and Rachel was shocked to see she was crying. "My dads," she said. "Are my dads here?"
Another nurse leaned over her. "They've been called, sweetie, and they're on their way. They'll be here soon."
Rachel closed her eyes and felt more tears slip out. "I want my dads," she whispered.
The nurse wiped the tears away gently, avoiding her bruised cheek. "We're going to take you up to surgery now, but your dads will be here when you get out. Don't worry, everything's ok now."
It's not, Rachel wanted to say. I killed man and my shoulder hurts and I want to go home. But she kept quiet and didn't say anything as they wheeled her out of the room. She closed her eyes against the bright overhead lights and when she opened them again they were in a different room with people in blue gowns standing all around her.
One of them leaned over her. "We're going to give you something to make you sleep now. You'll wake up in a little while and everything will be fine."
No drugs, Rachel wanted to say. No more drugs. But a mask was placed over her face and she was told to count backwards from ten. "Ten," she started sleepily. "Nine…" Her eyes closed and she couldn't remember what came after nine, and as the blackness descended once more, she decided it didn't much matter.
!
Tina was surprised to see doctors and several police officers waiting outside the emergency room when they pulled up. They were engulfed immediately, and she lost sight of Rachel. A policewoman asked her questions as she was loaded into a wheelchair and taken to an exam room. A doctor gently touched her wrist and Tina gasped in pain. The doctor turned it over gently and Tina was surprised to see some light bruising there. The man's grip must have been stronger than she thought.
The policewoman was still talking. "We've been in contact with the Lima PD," she told Tina. "Your parents have been notified and will be here soon. Can you tell me what happened?"
"The man," Tina said instead. "Did you get him? Is he dead? Rachel thinks he's dead, she thinks she killed him."
The policewoman glanced down at her, her face expressionless. "We've got officers combing the woods, looking for the shack. So far, we haven't found anything. Can you describe the man?"
As Tina gave a detailed description of the man she had spent the last few days afraid of, she wondered if Rachel was right and he was dead. "My phone died," she said suddenly.
The policewoman looked at her blankly. "Your phone died?"
"Tuesday night," Tina explained, anxious to get the story out. "When we were taken. My car wouldn't start and my phone was dead and Rachel didn't have hers so we had to walk home. That's when he took us."
The doctor interrupted her story. "I'm sorry, but we need to get you into X-ray and get a look at this wrist."
Tina nodded slightly. "Ok." She turned back to the policewoman. "Is my mom here yet? She's supposed to be here now. You said she was coming."
She saw the doctor and the policewoman exchange a look and the doctor stepped forward. "I'm just going to give you a little something to relax you," he said.
Tina nodded eagerly. "Drugs. Yep. The man gave us those too. A few times. He had a needle and everything."
Another look was exchanged and they stepped away from her slightly, and she wondered if they knew she could still hear them.
"She's in shock," the doctor said quietly. "It's not uncommon after trauma, and normally we would sedate her, but I need to get a blood sample and make sure no other drugs are in her system first. I don't want to risk a bad drug interaction," he explained.
The policewoman nodded. "I need to get a statement from her, but it can wait. I can try the other girl."
"Rachel," Tina interrupted. They came back to stand beside her. "Rachel was stabbed. In the arm. She said it didn't hurt bad but I think she was lying. I'm sorry, I never talk this much, I don't know why I'm talking this much now."
"It's ok, Tina," the doctor said reassuringly. He gestured to a nurse. "We're just going to draw a little blood, you'll feel a little pinch, and then we'll check out your wrist, ok?"
Tina nodded eagerly, ignoring the small stabbing pain in her arm. "Ok."
She was wheeled off to X-ray and was told she had a fractured wrist and would need a cast for a little while. By the time she was brought back downstairs the doctor had the results of her blood work.
"All clean," he announced happily. "No traces of any drugs left in your system. I'm going to give you something that might make you a little sleepy, ok, Tina? And then we'll get a cast on that arm of yours."
Tina felt another small stab in her arm and instantly felt sleepy. As she dozed off, she wondered again if her mother was here yet.
!
Rachel became aware of sound before anything else. She remembered counting and then nothing until she suddenly became aware again. She heard a muted beeping sound, low voices. She struggled to place the noises, make them connect with events in her memory, but she couldn't.
Her eyelids felt heavy and she concentrated all her energy on prying them open. After fluttering them several times, they finally lifted and she blinked to clear the blurriness from her vision.
"Sweetheart?"
She frowned, turning her head toward the sound. She blinked a few more times before her eyes focused.
"Sweetie, are you all right?"
Her vision sharpened then and she could see her fathers, seated side by side. She glanced around her. She was in a bed and there were machines next to her, beeping quietly.
"What happened?" she asked, voice cracking.
Dad poured her a small glass of water, holding the straw to her lips. "Drink," he said. "We have plenty of time to talk later."
She drank greedily for a bit before closing her eyes again. When she opened them again, her dads were still there but she could tell it was dark outside. The sun outside her window had given way to night, and her dads looked very tired.
"Dad? Daddy?" she asked, drawing their attention.
They both smiled down at her. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
She frowned. "Tired," she said. "What happened?"
"What do you remember, honey?" Daddy asked gently.
"I remember…we got away," she said. "A man drove away from us but a woman stopped to help us and they brought us here. Am I still in the hospital?"
Dad nodded. "Yes, honey. You had surgery on your shoulder and have been sleeping for awhile."
"Tina. Is Tina ok? Where's Tina?" Rachel started to sit up, panicked.
Daddy pushed her back down gently as the beeping machine got faster. "It's alright, honey. Tina's fine. She's resting down the hall. She had a cast put on her wrist and her mom's with her. She's ok, you're both ok."
Rachel slumped back against her pillows. "I had surgery?"
Dad nodded, looking worried. "Yes, sweetheart. You don't remember?"
She shook her head. "It's all kind of blurry after we got in the car."
"You had surgery for your shoulder. They said there's some muscle damage, but not a lot. You'll make a full recovery but you might need some rehab, depending on the extent of the damage. They said there's some bruising on your ribs and your face but it should heal in a few days. They're giving you fluids now and they've been bringing food since you got here, but you've been sleeping," Daddy explained.
"The lady in the car gave us carrot sticks," Rachel said absently, eyeing the IV line in the back of her hand.
"We're very grateful to that lady," Daddy said, his eyes tearing up a bit. "We're so glad she stopped for you girls."
"Is she still here?"
"No, sweetie, she gave her statement to the police and left a few hours ago. But we spoke with her. She said to tell you both she was glad you were ok."
"She was a nice lady," Rachel said, snuggling back into her pillows. Daddy pulled the blanket up a little higher over her and she smiled at them. "I missed you guys."
They both blinked back tears. "We missed you too, darling. So much. Everyone did."
"Noah's in the waiting room with Mr. Schuester," Dad informed her. "They've been incredibly worried about you girls. Daddy's right, everyone has been."
"Noah's here? Can I see him?" Rachel asked.
Her dads exchanged a glance. "Are you sure you're up to it?"
"Yes. Please. And Mr. Schue too, if he wants. I feel like I haven't seen anyone in forever."
Daddy leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. "Ok, sweetheart, we'll go get them. We'll be back in a little bit, ok?"
She nodded happily, closing her eyes again as her dads left the room.
!
Puck shifted uncomfortably in the hospital chair. Rachel's dads had been gone over an hour. Tina's mom had come out and updated them on Tina's condition. She had a fractured wrist and was severely dehydrated and in need of food but she was ok. Artie and Mr. Schue had gone back with Tina's mom to see her, and Schue had come back after about ten minutes. "Thought you might want some company," the teacher had said.
Puck shifted in the chair again. He was bored. And tired. And hungry. But mostly, he was worried. Everyone kept saying Rachel was fine, but someone who was fine didn't need surgery. He wanted to see her, needed to see her for himself before he would believe she was fine.
"Noah."
He looked up when he heard his name called and saw Rachel's fathers standing in front of him. He stood up quickly. "What is it? Is she ok?"
Her Daddy smiled at him. "Yes, she's fine. She's asking for you. Both of you."
Mr. Schue stood as well. "Right now?" Puck looked at them hopefully and her dads laughed.
"Yes. She's very tired and they have her on pain medication for her shoulder so she's a little out of it," her Daddy warned. "But you can go in. She's in 2518, just down the hall on the right."
Puck followed Mr. Schue down the hall to Rachel's room, suddenly nervous. What would he say to her? "Glad you're ok" just sounded stupid. He'd been hoping for this moment so much over the last few days but now he had no clue what to say.
They paused at her door and Schue turned to him. "Do you want a few minutes first?" he asked.
Puck shook his head immediately. "No, she asked for both of us. We should both go in."
Schue nodded and pushed her door open gently. Puck was shocked. Rachel Berry was tiny, always had been, probably always would be. But he had never really realized just how tiny she was until he saw her laying in that hospital bed, covered in blankets and bruises with machines all around her.
She opened her eyes when they walked closer to the bed. "Hi," she said, smiling happily.
Puck grinned, understanding what her dads meant about her being on drugs. She was definitely loopy right now. "Hey."
"You came to see me," she said, dreamy smile still on her face.
His smile softened and he tried not to stare too hard at the bruising on her cheek. "Course we did. You asked for us."
"We're so glad you're ok, Rach," Mr. Schue spoke up. "We were all very worried."
"Thanks, Mr. Schue. It was nice of you to come. I hope you kept Noah in line."
Schue laughed and Puck gave her a mock glare. "Hey, you should be nice to me. Who do you think has been picking up your chem homework for you?"
She groaned slightly and closed her eyes.
Puck felt his heart stop. "What? Are you ok? What is it?"
She opened her eyes again and Puck was relieved to see a small smile on her face. "I think chem might be the only thing I didn't miss."
Puck smiled down at her. "I was just kidding anyway. I didn't get your homework, I haven't even been to school."
"You didn't go to school?"
"I don't think any of the glee kids did," Schue interjected, putting a hand on Puck's shoulder. "Brittany and Santana went to cheer practice because they've got a big competition coming up, but no one went to classes."
Rachel glared at him. "Noah Puckerman, how dare you use me as an excuse for your academic lethargy."
They both stared at her like she was crazy and she broke into giggles, wincing slightly and touching her ribs. "Sorry. I'm a little out there right now."
Puck grinned. "That's cool, now I know what you'd be like drunk."
She grinned back at him. "Drunk's a funny word. Drunk. Drunk. Druuuunk." She broke into giggles again and he and Schue laughed with her.
"I think that's my cue to leave," Mr. Schue said. He smiled fondly down at his star. "Rachel, I'm glad you're ok. Get better soon, we need you in glee!"
"Thanks for coming," Rachel said, wiggling her fingers at their teacher. "Bye, Mr. Schue."
Puck watched him leave, then perched himself on the side of Rachel's bed. His eyes lingered on the angry bruises on her face.
"They don't even hurt," she said quietly.
He snorted. "That's because you're higher than a kite."
"That's true. They might hurt tomorrow."
He nodded. "They probably will." His eyes swept her petite form, searching for any other sign of injury. They settled on her heavily bandaged shoulder. "Does that hurt?"
She followed his gaze. "Not right now. It did at the time, though."
"How did it happen?" She hesitated and he backtracked immediately. "You don't have to tell me."
She shook her head slightly and settled back into her pillows. "No, it's ok. We were trying to escape. It was…Thursday, I think. I'm not clear on the time frame, we were drugged a couple of times."
Puck's jaw tightened but he let that pass. "What happened?"
"We were trying to escape. We had come up with this plan and Tina was lying on the floor, pretending to be passed out and she had a key and I had a key and we were going to attack him and run for the door. It locked from the outside but not the inside."
"A key? You tried to attack a man with a knife with a key?"
She shrugged lightly. "It was all we had. We were hoping the element of surprise would be enough."
"So what happened?"
"It wasn't. He was strong and threw me across the room, which is how I hurt my ribs. I ran for the door and he grabbed me by the hair." She winced, pressing a hand to her head, remembering the pain. "He yelled that he had been good to us but he wasn't going to be anymore and then he just stabbed me."
Puck's brow creased in concern. "You're lucky he didn't kill you. Both of you."
"It was a chance we were willing to take. He didn't seem too terribly prone to violence before that and we didn't think about the consequences. We just wanted to get out. And anyway, it doesn't matter now."
"Why not?"
Rachel looked away, avoiding his gaze. He put his hand under her chin, turning her to gently look into her eyes. "Rachel, why not?" he asked softly.
Her eyes were brimming with tears and his heart clenched at the sight of them. "Because I killed him, Noah," she choked out. "I killed him!" She started sobbing and he leaned over the bed, taking her in his arms.
"Rachel, why would you think that?"
"I stabbed him. When we escaped, I stabbed him and I killed him!"
He rubbed her back soothingly. "Rach, you didn't. You didn't kill him."
"Yes, I did," she sobbed. "I killed him!"
"Babe, no, you didn't. He's downstairs, locked up and surrounded by cops. You didn't kill him, I promise."
She pulled back and he gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "He's not dead?"
He shook his head. "Not last I heard. The doctors told the cops there was a lot of damage, that he would be here for awhile before they could take him to jail, but he's alive."
Rachel's eyes widened. "He's here?" she whispered. "Here?"
He took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb in gentle circles. "He's not going to hurt you," he said.
She shook her head frantically. "No. No! He can't-I can't be here. We have to leave. Noah, we have to go!" She sat up and one of the machines started beeping rapidly and a nurse came running in.
"Rachel, you need to calm down," she said, checking the machine. "Sweetie, it's ok, just calm down."
"No, he's here, we need to go. I don't wanna be here." She struggled with Puck's grasp. "Please, Noah, let's go."
The nurse hit the call button and another nurse appeared with a syringe. "I'm just going to give you something to help you calm down," she said. "Just a little pinch now."
Rachel struggled but the nurse was quick and she felt her limbs growing heavy again. "Noah," she called.
"I'm right here, babe," he said, trying not to show his fear. "Right here."
"Don't let him take me again," she begged. "Please."
He linked his fingers through hers. "That's not gonna happen, babe, I promise you. He is heavily sedated and he is handcuffed to his bed and surrounded by cops. He's not going anywhere, I promise you. I promise."
She sighed, only partly believing him. "Ok," she said drowsily. "I'm sleepy."
He eased her back against the pillows. "Then go to sleep. It's ok."
She shook her head and he saw the fear in her eyes. "I don't want to."
"Why not?" She didn't answer him. "Rach? Why not?"
She sniffled. "I'm afraid you won't be here. I'll wake up and be back in the shack with him and you won't be here. I did that before. I dreamed you came to rescue me but I woke up and we were still gone. I don't want to do that again."
He brushed a hand across her forehead. "That's not gonna happen either," he promised her. "I'm right here and I'm staying right here. You're safe now. You and Tina got out of there and you're safe now. You're never going back to that shack, ever again. I promise, babe."
Her eyes grew heavy as he stroked her hair tenderly. "Will you stay?" she slurred.
He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Absolutely."
Her eyelids fluttered and she smiled slightly before drifting off again.
He watched her sleep for a few minutes before he heard footsteps behind him. He expected one of the nurses but turned to find her fathers instead.
"Is she ok?" her Dad asked, running his hand tiredly through his hair. "The nurses said they had to sedate her."
Puck nodded, glancing back at Rachel's slumbering form. "She's ok. She freaked out when she heard the guy was downstairs but she's ok."
"Who told her the guy was downstairs?" her Daddy asked sharply.
Puck cringed. "Uh, I did. I just…she was freaking out because she thought she had killed him and I kept telling her she hadn't but she was convinced. So I told her he was downstairs recovering and that the cops were with him and he was handcuffed and everything. And then she was upset because he was so close and she wanted to leave. So they sedated her." He took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have told her he was here, I'm sorry."
Her Daddy shook his head apologetically. "No, of course you were right to tell her. We don't want her thinking she killed someone. I'm sorry, it's been a very long few days."
"We were just downstairs," her Dad explained, anger barely concealed in his tone. "We went to see him. They wouldn't let us in and he was sleeping but…well, we just wanted to see the man who tried to take our little girl from us."
Puck nodded. "Wouldn't mind seeing the guy myself," he muttered. He cleared his throat. "Uh, she asked me to stay. I hope that's ok."
He saw her Dad glance at their entwined fingers, saw his eyes follow Puck's hand as it combed back her hair. "That's fine." They pulled two chairs to the other side of the bed and they all settled in for a long night, none of the men willing to let Rachel out of their sight again so soon.